Broken Friendship
by camille-love-cat
Summary: Tommy and Merton are best friend, that's for sure. But what happens when a new student comes to Pleasantville and claims that he is Merton's best friend ? Strange enought isn't it ? Clash and friendship.
1. A new comrade

**Broken Friendship.**

**Chap.1: A new comrade.**

You know, as a werewolf, you don't usually spend your evenings studying or gently doing your homework. As far as I am concerned, I mostly go wolfing out and howl at the moon. That's why I have such bad grades. And in chemistry, even Merton can't help me. So when the teacher stopped the lesson during the course to present us a new student, I was probably the first and not the last one happy about it.

.

_In class._

« -Hey dear students, pay attention, one second please. I'd like to introduce you Barry White. He's just been transferred from Hartsdalle, so be kind with him. »

Barry stood there one second and went to sit down at a free table. He was obviously very ashamed. The professor couldn't even catch him up to make him introduce himself to the class.

« -Hartsdale? _I heard Merton whispering in plain_. That's not even far from here!

-Yeah! _Pepped up Lorie_. When you choose a new town to live in, go to a more well-known town than Pleasantville! »

They both laughed more or less silently. I chuckled under my breath.

« -Come on guys! Don't be so harsh! Maybe he didn't had the choice! »

We laughed even more. Too bad for us, the teacher saw it.

« -Hey, Dingle! Baxter! Dawkins! Whatever makes you laugh it isn't allowed. I want to see you three after class. »

We struggled. Man! This teacher wasn't easy to deal with. But immediately, Merton came at our rescue.

« -Hum, sorry?_ Interrupted the Goth kid_. Actually, it's my fault. They were just… being polite by laughing I guess?

-You? _Asked the teacher, startled_. It's not that I don't believe you but… »

At Merton's begging face sight, he let go. _"Fine, if it pleases you Dingle…"_ He perfectly knew that Merton wasn't a trouble child. You just have to look at his grades to understand that. But again, he couldn't show favouritism. I leaned back to my friend.

« -Thanks, Merton buddy! Did you do that because I have training after class?

-Yes of course! No problem Tommy. »

As the teacher scanned the class, I focussed back on my work. Arg! Chemistry! Horror for mind and nerves! But what I wasn't aware of was the cold glance the new kid was giving us. The cold and emotionless glance heading straight to my best friend, Merton.

.

_The hallway. _

After class, I went directly to my training. I devote myself entirely to sports. After all it was thanks to Merton if I could be there, and I was grateful to him about that. I ended first at every exercise, but when I got back into the hallway, I was so tired I only wanted to go back home. No more school, no more talking and for god's sake, no more babble mouth Mert…

« -Tommy! Guess what? »

Speaking about him…

« -C'mon! Guess! Try at least! »

I backed up my head, looking at the ceiling for a second and then went back to Merton. He was as nervous as a cat. For one second I even wondered why he was so full of bean.

« -Ok… Did you… win a cross chess tournament?

-No! It's… Wait what?

-Don't know dude, you asked me to guess.

-Well, that's funny, but you're wrong. _He told me, not even affected by my odd comeback._ You know the new kid, Barry? I can't wait to introduce you to him, he's awesome!

-Yeah? And what makes you say that?

-He came after class to talk to me, and he was very kind! I suspect him to be a little Goth inside. We quickly became friend!

-The only fact that he came after class to chat with you is enough.

-What with the ironic talk? _Asked suddenly Merton_. I thought you were cool?

-I am! _I said as a reply_. I'm just… »

I couldn't find an honest answer, and Merton felt that. I know Merton wasn't the type to make friends easily, so why was I so tickly about it? I hardly even know myself.

« -C'mon Tommy, I'm no stupid! _He uttered_. You can tell me if something's wrong!

-I'M ALL-RIGHT! _I snapped_. »

What was that? I didn't mean to say that! Merton was petrified. I don't usually shout at him, even when he's truly annoying me. But… This feeling was like I couldn't help but saying things I didn't want to say. Strange. Merton tried to answer back, but I cut him:

« -Now MOVE! _I yelled._ »

No! Don't be so harsh… myself! Again, my actual reply hadn't wanted to get out. To say sorry was the top priority, but that wasn't the correct way to express regret! Merton made a weird smile, which was more like a grin, then took his backpack and sighted:

« -'K. Anyway, see you tomorrow. _He declared as he left_. »

I saw my friend leaving with a sad expression on his face. I wanted to call him back, but I couldn't say anything. The words were trapped in my mouth. As he disappeared at the corner of the corridor, I noticed a boy standing at the exact opposite of me. He never left my eyes. Without warning, he began to run to catch somebody in the direction that Merton had taken. Wait, wasn't that Barry? Before I could follow them, Lori rejoined me.

« -Tommy! You're here!

-Oh, Lori!

-What's happened? Merton left abruptly. Strange!

-I… was a bit crude. I don't know why. »

Putting the problem aside, she went straight to the point, as if she was in a rush.

« -Anyway, I wanted to go to the Factory this evening, mind to join me?

-Yeah, why not? Let me inform Merton and…

-Hum… I was thinking of just you and me? Like… a date?

-Really? _I tried to hide my excitement without success._ Ok when do we meet?

-Let's go now?

-Sure. »

Screw everything; I was on a date with Lori! My tiredness could stand to wait a bit more. I resigned myself to go to Merton's lair later to apologize. He would understand. After all, Merton's my best friend!

.

_The lair._

« -Merton, is that a snake?

-Yeah it's Rasputin, be careful with him. »

As Barry was dazed by his reptile friend, Merton's thoughts went back to Tommy. It seemed as he was in a bad pass today. It didn't happen to him since his dark side had shown up. There was something abnormal behind that.

« -Hey Merry my friend, you ok? »

Barry's head appeared behind Merton's shoulder. Merton almost died of terror.

« -D'ah! Uh. No problem Barry, I'm all-right.

-Eh, relax! It's just the two of us here this evening._ Told the new kid, sensing Merton's anxiety._ Are you afraid of somebody showing up?

-Well, I _expected_ somebody to show up but… He is a kind of blowing off.

-It's not a big deal, who is he? Who dares tormenting my Merry's mind like that?

-Well, you can call him my best friend…

-Your best friend? That Tommy boy you stood up for in chemistry? He doesn't even seem very friendly to me. Am I not your best friend?

-What? You're not! I mean… We just met today! You're a good pal but you must have better friends in Hartsdale you want to stay in touch with, don't you? »

Swiftly, Barry dropped his head. He looked very depressed. Merton panicked, was it because of what he had said? The other boy turned his back to him, playing with the snake again.

« -I… hadn't. Not a single one… »

All of a sudden, Merton had a vision. He saw himself at Barry's place, one year earlier, when nobody in school wanted to hang out with him. Surely, he had had the chance to meet Tommy, but apart from him and Lori, since then, nothing had changed for him. That was a big revelation. He never thought about that before. The tons of problems Merton wasn't able to see before came up to him. If Barry wasn't just in front of him, he would have disappeared in the blur with the rest of the room.

« -They pretended to be friend with me so they could play dirty tricks on me even more.

-That's not fair. _Moaned Merton_. »

_And that's just like me… _He thought. Merton felt a great sense of compassion emerging in him. His social life was exactly like Barry's, except that he never had the chance to climb any social ladder. This boy, right here, ought to have a better social network than he has.

« -Barry, you can start a new life here. You just have to stand out a bit more and above all… not be seen with me. »

It was heartbreaking to tell him something like that but Barry hadn't lived the same life as him. Merton knew his new friend shortly before, but he had a good feeling about him. Barry had a chance he did not get, and he had to save him from the people's general apathy. At his surprise, Barry dazed him like if he had said something really stupid.

« -You didn't get me Merton. _Barry explained_. I need somebody I can trust, not tons of people I hang out with just because they like the "superficial me".

-Bu… But… I'm a freak! If you start with the wrong person it would be over for you! Zero integration! Same result as in Hartsdale! You'll be categorized as a freak with me forever. I mean… you barely know me and I don't want… I don't want another person to live this. »

Shit. Since when has he become all sentimental like that? That wasn't like him at all. And oh damn was that a tear?

« -Merton? Look at me please. »

With an immense effort, Merton raised his head. Barry had a reassuring smile on his face. Reassuring, and almost eerie.

« -It's too late Merry, I'm already your friend. »


	2. Jealousy?

**Broken Friendship.**

**Chap. 2: Jealousy?**

When I went at the Factory with Lori on that evening, I was a hundred per cent sure I would love being there. But then again, I was mistaking. As I was drinking and dancing with Lori, my sixth sense was tickling. Something was terribly wrong. I'm not good at finding monsters, actually it's Merton's job, but this time, he couldn't know what had happened in the hallway, about me saying nonsense. It's now my job to reiterate justice.

.

If I'm sure of one thing, it's that Lori must have a sort of mind-reading power. You don't believe me? Fine. Explain me how she can always go straight to the point without ever mistaking? You don't know? Well, I don't either. That's what ended our little evening. She suddenly looked at me in the eyes, sipping her glass silently, and raised a question in a small voice:

« -Tommy, what happened earlier in the hallway?

-Wadoyoumean? _I asked, confused_. T'was nothing. »

She didn't believe my mysteries, and asked again:

« -You're not good at lying Tommy. I heard you shouting and I saw Merton leaving with a kinky expression on his face. »

I sighted. Lori always knew everything.

« -Ok, I yelled to him. But I didn't know why and I figured out I could make excuses later. Merton's cool about this, isn't he?

-Merton's cool? _Lori got all worked up_. So you really yelled at him! Why did you do that? And why are you here with me if you need to apologize?! I don't understand you! Come on, let's go to the lair! You've got to tell him you're sorry! »

I was a bit confused. Sure Lori was right, but wasn't it a bit late to go to Merton's?

« -You know, I can still apologize tomorrow. Merton is...

-Merton is waiting for you! That's what he's doing! _She interrupted me_. You're very important to him you know that, don't you? Let's go! Now! »

She lifted me up and pulled me out of the Factory. We went straight to Merton's lair, with a weighty silence above us. As we drew near my friend's, every step was an opportunity to stop. I have been very cruel to him, and I knew that wasn't me at all. But will he understand that? Will this strange thing happen again? I didn't know why, but suddenly, I thought about the new kid. When I saw him leaving and going after Merton in willingness this afternoon, I caught his eyes for a second. And my wolfness was telling me that something wasn't right with him.

« -Tommy? _I heard Lori almost whispering to me_. We're here.

-Oh, really? Ok. »

Merton's door has never seemed so impassable, even if it was always unlock. When I caught the doorknob, about to turn it, I heard laughs. Was there somebody else? Lori and I exchanged a puzzling look, and then I entered. I ran into something I would have never thought of: Merton and the exchanged student sharing a bowl of popcorns and bottles of Woo-Hoo, watching one of what I thought was Merton's movies about monsters.

« -Already? _I let out, surprised._

-Oh, Tommy and Lori! What a surprise! _Smiled Merton._ What are you two doing here tonight? Didn't you need some rest*mon ami?

-I... I... »

I stopped working. Barry was here! Merton hadn't invited me to a movie party at least two weeks after our encounter! But the new kid, freshly arrived from Hartsdale, was in my best friend's house the very same evening! And I wasn't invited! Well, after how I blew him off this afternoon, the last point wasn't so surprising. But I definitively thought that there was something uncommon about Barry, and I didn't want my buddy to be in danger! Yes, I can be a little overprotective sometimes.

« -Hi Merton! Hi Barry! _Lori smiled. _What are you watching at?

-You know how astounding is the number of people who still haven't seen Dracula yet? _Complained Merton. _It's really stupid to say, but everybody has heard about it, and almost nobody has seen it at least once! Sure it's the best movie ever! I'm not letting anybody who comes here leaving without having seen it! »

As Lori and Merton were chatting, I carefully examined Barry. He had a strange poker face, but his eyes! God his eyes – what a frightening expression!

« -Well, we didn't come for any reason Merton. _Explained Lori_. Actually, Tommy has something to tell you. »

All the eyes were turned towards me. I felt Lori's accusing stare, Merton's questioning gaze and Barry's placid look falling on me all at once. I was like a child being accused of stealing sweets and having to make excuses to everybody.

« -Yes Tommy? _Merton said seeing that I couldn't utter a word_.

-I wanted to... Tell you something. _I repeated. _Actually, I was very eager to say that I... »

Again, I felt my tongue speaking at my place. That was a very unpleasant moment. Moreover, I knew it wasn't me speaking.

« -I... can't stand being your friend anymore! I don't want to see you again! Since we're classmate, my real friends don't want to talk to me anymore! »

That through a cold around the room. Both Lori and Merton were looking at me with round eyes, opened mouth, unable to believe what I have just said. But my eyes were fixed on something else. As I was speaking, Barry's mouth formed the exact same words as mine, at the same time, but with no sound, and with his eyes still fixed on me. I knew it! It was him!

« -What? _Trembled Merton_. What do you mean? You want to... part away? »

_That's not it Merton! Look at Barry! Look at him! Don't make those sad eyes! _I tried to resist, I really tried hard to close my stupid mouth, but Barry's power was too strong. I could see that they were confused, that Merton was still hoping that I was making a sort of bad joke and that he was trying to hide his hesitating feeling behind a confident make-up look. But all I could do was assisting at that horrible scene, where my body was paralysed and my words completely transformed against my will.

« -I don't want to see you again. _I said against myself_. You disgust me! »

I never saw Merton so chocked. Even I couldn't realize what I've just said. Barry sure wasn't pulling his punches:

« -You're not serious? _He burbled. _You can't be! »

Merton was almost crying, and I would have too if my body was answering me.

« -I am. »

The Goth kid lifted his head high, and yelled at me.

« -So that's it? I thought we had something! I thought we were _friends! _Barry was right, people only _use_ you! »

Lori was mortified. And it wasn't the end of my nightmare.

« -Yes, I used you! But now I don't need you anymore, so stop coming around at school, Ok? »

Suddenly, the door upstairs banged open and Becky entered the lair.

« -Hey freak, stop shouting! _She said in a rush_. There're people trying to work up there! Whoa, what's happening? »

The tension was unbearable. I was sure that even outside the room you could have felt the pressure without having to enter. Broken, Merton gave me a last angry look, filled up with small tears, and left abruptly, pushing his sister and slapping the door behind him to go upstairs. As I saw him dashing out, I felt I regained control of my body.

« -Merton! **Merton! **_I barked. _Come back!

-It seems like he doesn't want to see you right now... _Whispered somebody_. »

I whirled around. It was Barry. I dashed closer to him angrily and grasped him by his tee-shirt:

« -You... That's your entire fault!

-What? _He marvelled, pretending to sound innocent_. I didn't do anything; you're the one who hurt Merton!

-Tommy calm down! _Lori shouted after me_. Get out of here!

-But Lori I...

-OUT! We'll have a discussion later. »

Silence fell on the small room. They were all expecting me to leave, which I did, because the burden was overwhelming me. What did I do? That was a real life-nightmare! A... monster made me yell at my friend with no reason and now, everybody was against me! Shitty evening.

.

_The lair_.

Tommy let go off Barry's shirt and left. Lori was very surprised that he could clash with Merton just like that, and she was even more astounded by her friend's reaction. She expected Merton to fall apart crying, but he walked away with dignity. Becky was still at the door, chocked by what she just saw, but even if she usually plays like she doesn't care about her brother, she still loves him, and went straight to catch him up after Tommy's escape. As Barry was about to follow the same way, Lori caught him.

« -Wait Barry...

-Yes?

-I... I know you've just arrived, and that you've not known Tommy since too long, but he's been acting strangely today and you... »

Barry shattered his eyes, and wondered if Lori knew something. He wondered if he had to worry about her too. But Lori hadn't finished:

« -I think you shouldn't judge him too quickly please.

-Oh... Really?

-Yes, it's not his day. »

_With the full moon tomorrow, he must be a bit agitated_. Lori thought. _But that doesn't explain his strange behaving_.

To her greatest satisfaction, Barry agreed, slightly surprised.

« -Yeah, Ok. A bad day I got it.

-Thanks. Really. You don't know how much they need each other »

With that, Lori vanished away, following Merton's paths. Finally alone, Barry had an evil rictus.

« -Oh yes ma'am, I know exactly how much they need each other. Ahahahah... »

*mon ami : french for "my friend"


End file.
